Blog Post

There’s no better time of year to read thrilling stories and novels than, well, whenever you want to! There are plenty of spooky authors we’re sure you already know, like R.L. Stine, Steven King, and Dean Koontz, but we want to introduce you to some not-so-well-known spine-chilling authors. Take a look at the Bookmans Recommends list of spooky reads. We dare you to read them all if you think you’ll be able to fall asleep at night!

We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson
You likely have read this author’s short story The Lottery. If not we recommend you read that too, but first, read this 1962 novel about a murderous family and what happens when an unexpected cousin visits.

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin
This short novel will have you on the edge of your seat. We doubt you’ll casually put it down. It’s a read-in-one-sitting kind of story! Here we find a tale of love, pregnancy, good looks and a plot to kill.

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
What appears to be a children’s book about a group of young boys quickly turns into a terrifying tale of racing against time to save a friend who has been captured. The chilling villain called “something” is left to your imagination.

Cold Hand In Mine by Richard Aickman
This book of short stories is of the most bizarre and creepy nature. If you want a book to leave by the toilet during your spooky reads of October, this is it.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
We don’t know why; we just know a young man attempted to blow up the bridge at Owl Creek during the Civil War. As the story unfolds, we’re catapulted into the soldier’s inner monologue during his execution by hanging.

The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“The Yellow Wall-Paper” is a short story that depicts a woman’s descent into madness. Gilman’s other short stories are similarly captivating.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
This classic novel depicts a woman whose new husband seems too good to be true. He is. His deceased wife has a vengeance from the grave and she’s not happy with a new woman in the house.

Necronomicon by H.P. Lovecraft
Last, but certainly not least, we recommend Lovecraft to you all. Chilling, weird and satisfyingly suspenseful here’s another author with a slew of short stories sure to keep your heart racing all night.

Share your favorite spooky reads with us in the comments, on social media (#SpookyReads) and in our stores. We love talking about books and we have plenty of favorites that didn’t make this list.

* Bookmans is your store to explore. We can’t guarantee stock so if you are interested in one of these Bookmans recommended spooky reads, please give us a call and we’ll check our orange shelves for you. Otherwise, we hope you will come and browse.